Even though there seems to be years-long global peace, threats of war still surface on an everyday basis and prompt many nations to invest billions in their aerial warfare power! As we already pass the halfway mark of 2024, let’s review which country currently boasts the world’s largest air force.
In this article:
Top 20 Largest Air Forces In The World
The U.S. still leads by a significant margin, followed by Russia in second place. Although China currently holds third place, its ongoing advancements raise inevitable questions about whether it might surpass the U.S. in the near future.
#20. Germany
- Total Aircraft: 394
As of December 2023, the German Air Force had 394 aircraft in total, among which were 134 Eurofighter Typhoon jets (renowned as the world’s most advanced).
Recent orders reported by Flight International also indicate an extra 38 Eurofighters had been scheduled for delivery, which further explains the world’s extremely high anticipation for Germany’s future aerial strength.
#19. Canada
- Total Aircraft: 395
Next is Canada’s Air Force, whose growing aircraft fleet has recently gained considerable attention. In January, the government announced plans to purchase almost 90 F35 jet models from Lockheed Martin to strengthen Arctic safety and reach NATO’s spending targets.
#18. The U.K.
- Total Aircraft: 466
U.K.’s Royal Air Force undoubtedly possesses one of the best air combat fleets, including 26 F35B fighter jets, 57 Boeing CH47 Chinook fighter helicopters, and 119 Eurofighter Typhoons.
#17. Italy
- Total Aircraft: 506
Italy easily ranks among the world’s top defense spenders with a total of 862 advanced aircraft, over 500 of which are actively used by its air force.
It notably operates 15 F35 fighter jets, 50 Tornado IDS, and 92 Eurofighter Typhoons. There’s still more; according to trusted sources, Italy currently has 90 more F35 fighters in order from Lockheed Martin Corporation!
#16. Taiwan
- Total Aircraft: 518
It’s quite clear Taiwan has strengthened its air force in response to growing threats from China, which frequently sends warplanes into Taiwanese airspace.
The United States actively supports Taiwan’s defense needs, including the latest provision of 110 F-16 fighters from General Dynamics (with an additional 56 in order). Amid escalating tensions, the Pentagon already expedited deliveries of these jet models to Taiwan last December, as reported by Bloomberg.
#15. Brazil
- Total Aircraft: 527
Brazil’s strong and large-scale air force is largely supported by its robust $2 trillion economy, which allows for expensive military upgrade efforts.
Over the past decade, the country has procured 36 Gripen combat jets from Swedish bases and upgraded surveillance radars through a years-long contract with the RTX Corporation. Among their 527 aircraft, 120 are fighter/combat jets.
#14. Algeria
- Total Aircraft: 541
Given that Algeria is engaged in an ongoing arms competition with Morocco, the growth in its air force in recent years is quite unsurprising.
Most of Algeria’s military aircraft are sourced from Russia. Their fleet comprises 33 MiG-29s, 57 Su-30s, and 22 Su-24s, among other jets and aircraft, totaling 541 units.
#13. Israel
- Total Aircraft: 581
The Israel Air Force has always been among the strongest in Middle Eastern regions. It is reportedly equipped with 32 F-35 fighter jets and plans to acquire 17 more of these advanced 5th-gen fighters! Furthermore, their fleet also includes 175 F16 combat aircraft manufactured by General Dynamics Corporation.
#12. Turkey
- Total Aircraft: 618
Turkey enters 2024 with an impressive air force exceeding 600 aircraft, easily securing a spot among the top 15 globally. Notable assets are 157 General Dynamics F-16s, special mission jets, combat helicopters, and 7 KC-135R tankers.
#11. France
- Total Aircraft: 658
France possesses one of the world’s most advanced air forces, bolstered by its own locally developed aerospace industry (such as Dassault Aviation).
Some key aircraft include the Rafale, Mirage 2000D, and Mirage 2000-5F. This air force even operates approximately 80 fighter helicopters and 84 transport aircraft.
#10. Saudi Arabia
- Total Aircraft: 702
Over half of the country’s air force comprises advanced fighter jets.
The kingdom’s significant defense spending, totaling $75 billion in 2022, ranks it the world’s tenth-largest military spender. Riyadh seeks to acquire 48 Eurofighter Typhoon jets to add to its current fleet of 72, currently pending approval from Germany.
#9. Japan
- Total Aircraft: 779
The Japan Air Self-Defense Force ranks among the largest globally in 2024. Recent additions last November include F35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin, though exact numbers were not disclosed. Japan also operates 27 F-35s (with 119 more on order), 62 F-2As, and 155 F-15Js.
#8. Pakistan
- Total Aircraft: 818
Pakistan demonstrated its outstanding aerial capabilities during a 2019 midair dogfight with India over Kashmir. Five years later, it still possesses one of the world’s largest air forces, boasting over 800 aircraft. Key models of the PAF (Pakistan Air Force) are 135 F-7s, 44 F-16s, and 109 JF-17s (developed jointly with China).
#7. South Korea Air Force
- Total Aircraft: 890
Southern Korea boasts one of the world’s largest fleets, with 890 aircraft, and the introduction of the domestically produced KF-21 Boramae fight jet (in 2022) has significantly improved its aerial capabilities. The fleet includes 38 F-35As, 60 FA-50s, and 118 F-16s, among other combat jets.
#6. North Korea
- Total Aircraft: 951
Northern Korea introduced a powerful fleet of combat aircraft, although less advanced than its southern neighbor. The primary inventory comprises outdated jets such as the F-5 Shenyang (106), F-7 (120), and various MiG fighter variants, totaling 951 aircraft.
#5. Egypt
- Total Aircraft: 1,122
Egypt, with the strongest military of all African nations, is also hailed as the world’s fifth-biggest air force.
Its fleet includes 1,122 aircraft, over 420 of which are advanced combat jets. Outstanding ones include 168 F-16s and over 20 Rafale fighters, plus an extra order of 26 Su-35s from Russia that is still in progress. Details of these Su-35s remain undisclosed at the time of this writing.
#4. India Air Force
- Total Aircraft: 1,715
The IAF (India Air Force) is an aerial branch of the Indian Armed Forces. It was formally established around 1932 as the “Royal Indian Air Force” under British rule. After India gained independence around 1947, the “Royal” prefix was dropped.
The IAF’s mission is to secure local airspace and engage in aerial combat missions during armed conflicts. It operates an extremely diverse fleet comprising reconnaissance, fighter, attack, and military transport aircraft from the U.S., India, France, and Britain. Some key aircraft are:
- Sukhoi Su-30
- MiG-29
- Dassault Mirage 2000
- C-130J
- Ilyushin-76
- Mil Mi-17
Aside from these models, it also boasts 170,000+ active personnel.
#3. China
- Total Aircraft: 2,084
The country has seen huge revolutions in improving its air force capabilities, particularly with notable advancements like the J-20A stealth fighter jet poised to rival the U.S.’s F-22 in inventory. With almost 2,100 aircraft models plus 400,000 active personnel, China undoubtedly possesses one of the biggest air forces in the world as of 2024.
#2. Russian Air Force
- Total Aircraft: 3,863
As part of the 1992-established Russian Aerospace Force, the Russian Air Force traces its lineage to the Imperial Russian Air (1912 to 1917) and the Soviet Air Force (1918 to 1991). Today, it proudly remains the second-largest air force in the world, with almost 3,900 aircraft! Some notable models include:
- MiG-24/31/35
- Ilyushin-62/76/86/112
- Sukhoi Su-24/25/34
- Antonov An-22/26/124/140/148
#1. The U.S. Air Force
- Total U.S. Military Aircraft: 5,217
As of this writing, the U.S. still boasts the world’s biggest and most technologically developed air force. Its impressive arsenal boasts 196 F-35s (many more are still in production), 775 F-16s, 408 F-15s, and 177 F-22 Raptors, not to mention thousands of other helicopters, bombers, training jets, and combat aircraft!
And that’s not all. The U.S. Air Force is also actively developing a 6th-gen fighter jet, scheduled for launch by 2029 to 2030.
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Other Fun Facts
Top 10 Biggest Military Branches in the World
Again, the U.S. solidifies its position as the leader, easily claiming 4 spots out of 10 on this list.
| Rank | Military Branch | Number of Aircraft (Updated 2022) |
| 1 | United States Air Force | 5,217 units |
| 2 | U.S. Army Aviation | 4,409 units |
| 3 | Russian Air Force | 3,863 units |
| 4 | U.S. Navy | 2,464 units |
| 5 | People’s Liberation Army Air Force (China) | 1,991 units |
| 6 | Indian Air Force | 1,715 units |
| 7 | U.S. Marine Corps | 1,157 units |
| 8 | Egyptian Air Force | 1,062 units |
| 9 | Korean People’s Army Air Force (North Korea) | 946 units |
| 10 | South Korean Air Force | 898 units |
Top 10 Countries With The Highest Number Of Military Aircraft
The No.1 position is quite unsurprising. However, many other nations have also made significant strides in the global military rankings. Let’s take a look!
| Rank | Country | Number of Aircraft |
| 1 | United States | 13,300 units |
| 2 | Russia | 4,182 units |
| 3 | China | 3,284 units |
| 4 | India | 2,200 units |
| 5 | South Korea | 1,608 units |
| 6 | Japan | 1,451 units |
| 7 | Pakistan | 1,147 units |
| 8 | Egypt | 1,069 units |
| 9 | Turkey | 1,065 units |
| 10 | France | 1,004 units |
Will China Eventually Replace The U.S. As The Nation With The Highest Number Of Warplanes?
China now leads globally with the world’s biggest naval fleet (more than 340 warships!). Their powerful arsenal of ballistic missiles aims to discourage the U.S. from deploying aircraft carriers during the Taiwan crisis. Needless to say, this recent development poses a major challenge to U.S. naval operations.
Moreover, the U.S. Air Force’s drastic reduction in F-22s (since 2009) has also increased its vulnerability.
The F-22’s excellent stealth always plays a key role in the country’s air superiority. Hence, without enough of these fifth-gen warplanes, especially the F-22s, the U.S. will certainly face greater risks than before in future potential conflicts with China.
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Conclusion
Although the U.S. remains the most powerful air force, it should stay alert to potential threats from opposing countries like China or Russia. Let’s revisit this chart in a year to see whether there’s any drastic change in the rankings!
